Ontario Trail News - walking, cycling, biking, equestrian, mountain biking - news from all over Ontario's trails

Ontario Trails fully involved in Trail Projects

From the North Shore of Lake Superior to the rolling hills of Haliburton to the St. Lawrence Seaway, through the nation's biggest cities over 430 communities in Ontario have trails that are Yours to Explore.

This article is going to tell you about a few of the projects that we have underway in several parts of Ontario. When communities turned to the OTC they ask us to help them manage, develop, properly use, and conserve their trails

Georgian Bay Coast Trail – Central Ontario

People like to walk, it also like to hike. Many of Ontario's trails are along rivers or along waterfronts. The Georgian Bay coast trail is being planned as rugged natural experience trail alongside the East Coast of Georgian Bay.

This trail is going to stretch from Bayfield Inlet to Point Grondine. In this case this trail is not a rail trail the rugged beauty of Georgian Bay will be your guide. Rocks, pine forests, and wilderness await on this trail trek.

Trails are about communities in this project brings many unique communities together through the trail. This is why the Ontario trails Council is pleased to be devoting time and resources to working with first Nations peoples, the board of the Georgian Bay coast trail and other regional partners in bringing this trail to this region.

Heritage is the key word on this trail. First Nations peoples appreciated the healing powers of native plants and respected the beauty of the land. Today through this partnership we are working to ensure that aboriginal heritage and natural appreciation is preserved for the wilderness hiker.

There are many places to stay in the area, the hearty fare will energize you for your next 30K, and whether in Britt, or Parry Sound, to Magnetawan, as this trail opens over the next year the local people are ready to welcome you to their unique part of Ontario.

SC Johnson Working with Nature Conservancy of Canada, Demonstrating Commitment to People ... DigitalJournal.com SC Johnson is working with the NCC to help protect Ontario's natural ... environment for generations to come through essential conservation efforts. Flag as irrelevant

A few bad cyclists shouldn't stop us from building bike lanes Toronto Star Ontario's Chief Coroner has called all pedestrian deaths preventable. The undue attention to cyclingconduct diverts attention from the far greater ... Flag as irrelevant

TRAIL PLANNING BEGINS JUNE 2, 2014

ONTARIO TRAILS MOBILE one of 12 MUST HAVE APPS

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/mobile

Ontario Trails News - hiking, waking, biking, camping - information from Ontario's 2600 trails!

Norfolk County - Trails #1

This is our opinion too! All over Ontario. OTC was lucky enough to be asked to say a few words at the ribbon cutting opening of this trail in 2011. I beleive we also gave the local folks some funding to complete the project.


Congrats Terry, and Frank and all the great folks in Norfolk - the Waterford Heritage Trail and Norfolk County are both supporting members of the Ontario Trails Council. Thanks and congratulations!

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Georgian Bay Coast Trail and INAC Support OTC Consultation Work 

On Sunday April 27th, David Raithby, Chair of GBCT, Jessie Metelka of GBCT and Patrick Connor from Ontario Trails, met the Chief Wayne McQuabbie and Members of Band Council of Henvey Inlet First Nation, as well as the Lands Committee of HIFN.

Our working group has been meeting regularly for a few months and we attended this meeting of Council to apprise them on project progress and next steps. The Ontario Trails Council is pleased to be working with the Georgian Bay Coast trail and all the First Nation Partners in the project.

For more information on htie 200km rugged hiking trail see:  http://www.gbcoasttrail.com/

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We Value Our Members - Mr. Jack De Wit, OTC President

Dear Members - I often get questioned what are the benefits of an OTC Membership?  Your financial support enables us to assist trail groups like:

• Niagara Trails Committee, led by Quad Niagara and Niagara Region;
• Georgian Bay Coast Trail, with our partners Georgian Bay BIosphere and a variety of First Nations peoples as well;

as well as many many more!

I am pleased to provide a copy of a letter we recently received from the Brant Waterways Foundation regarding the OTC. We thank them for their support.



On April 30th the OTC Board passed a Motion suggesting that all members write this type of letter to their MPP's and MP's.

As you can see your financial support may not return directly to your community, but with it, by keeping the OTC viable, we are able to preserve or develop trails somewhere in Ontario. And our members think we do this very well.

Sincerely, Jack De Wit, President.

 

Media Advisory: OFAH/OPG Travelling TackleShare is Coming to Fergus This Weekend

HydroWorld

... fishing instruction and lessons on aquatic habitat and conservation. ... Travelling TackleShare is an initiative of the Ontario Federation of Anglers ...

Flag as irrelevant

TRAIL PLANNING BEGINS JUNE 2, 2014

ONTARIO TRAILS MOBILE one of 12 MUST HAVE APPS

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/mobile

Ontario Trails News - All the Best in World Class Trail Experiences right here on Ontario Trails!

Aboriginal sports organization wants minister’s support

Thursday March 21, 2013

File photo
Team Ontario marches into the 2008 North American Indigenous Games in Cowichan, BC.

Shawn Bell - Wawatay News

 

An Aboriginal sports organization is hoping the sporting background of Ontario’s new Aboriginal Affairs minister will result in an increased focus on the benefits of sport for First Nations and Metis youth.
The Aboriginal Sports and Wellness Council of Ontario (ASWCO) says that new minister David Zimmer’s background in swimming, hiking and weightlifting should help him to “personally understand the benefits of physical activity.”
“Our hope is that Mr. Zimmer’s experience as a parliamentary assistant and personal understanding of physical fitness will help contribute to greater opportunities and success for Aboriginal peoples in sport and recreation,” said ASWCO chair Marc Laliberte.
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Lester B. Pearson Park Pictures added to Ontario Trails Website - 

Thanks to Jim for the photos!






 

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Active Transportation-Canada Listserv Members:

There have been more than 25 new news items added onto the Active Transportation-Canada Website since the last notice on March 1. These include:

1. Edmonton - City delays bike lanes, orders more consultation 

2. What happens when you build it and they don’t come?

3. It's Not About The Bike Or Car -- It's About Better Cities  

 

A complete list of all articles posted since the Websites creation may be found in the "Blog Archive" box, located on the right margin of the Website. There are now more than 1,700 items posted on Active Transportation - Canada, with links available to dozens of studies and hundreds of news items from communities across Canada and around the world.

Active Transportation Canada URL: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com/ "Search" function is available on the site. You will find this at the bottom of the page.

If anyone has a problem reading this message, please let me know. I welcome suggestions for posts, so if you have news items featuring your community, please share them with the other subscribers from Canada, the US, and Australia on Active Transportation-Canada.

Thank you. 
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Trail Counts

 

EVER WONDERED WHO IS USING YOUR TRAIL AND WHEN? LOOKING FOR MORE THAN JUST A STATIC COUNT OF TRAIL ACTIVITY? TELL OTHERS ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF PERSON IS USING YOUR TRAIL, WHAT MAKES YOUR TRAIL A POPULAR DESTINATION...AND MORE!

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WE HAVE YOUR ANSWER.

Utilizing smartphone technology trail users can now complete a short survey that:

• Logs in the trip
• Single counts individual users
• Consolidates results for centralized reporting
• Consultation on survey content.
• We ask your questions - the facility manager asks what they want to know!
• Allows for separate trail counting
• Multi-season operation
• 24/7collection
• Identifies quality of trail experiences
• Provides you feedback loop

Wherever there is a smartphone signal, and YOUR trailhead you could be gathering and collecting additional information that will make for a better trail! Got great trails? Get the feedback that keeps you in the know!

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LOW MAINTENANCE

Using weatherproof decals our methods allow users to quickly and easily provide you with information you need to assess, improve, direct, re-direct, or provide information to the user - while on the trail. Our proprietary method has been developed by over 140 trail users and with the input of The City of Thunder Bay and Norfolk County Trail Managers.

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LOW COST

$50.00 per trail per year (max 3 trails) includes:

• Decal design
• Decal Printing - max 6 sheets, various size decals
• More decals option (fee charged)
• Survey Set-up
• Survey reports
• All system maintenance
• Regional Comparisons
• Seasonal variances
• Trail differentiations
• Use patterns

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PACKAGES

OTC Member? - Take $25.00 off each package!

• Blue - 4-10 trails:  $300.00 plus HST and registration fees
  • Maximum 20 sheets of decals
• Green - 10-20 trails: $500.00 plus HST and registration fees
  • Maximum 40 sheets of decals
• Gold - 20 or more trails: Starting at $1,000 plus HST and registration fees
  • TBD

We've kept the price low - comparible pairs of static counters, that provide no demographic or qualitative information start at @$750.00 a pair, per trail - at OTC we are maintenance free, so operating cost is never an issue! Get information on your rural trails - save on gas, training, maintenance and get better connected to your customer: THE TRAIL USER!

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VARIOUS DECAL SIZES TO MEET YOUR NEEDS!

8 decals per sheet - each decal is @4.5" (W) X 1.12" (T) or 11.43cm (W) X 2.8cm (T)
4 decals per sheet - each decal is @ 6" (W) X 1.75" (T) or 15.24cm (W) X 4.44cm (T)
2 decals per sheet - each decal is @ 9" (W) X 2.25" (T) or 22.86cm (W) x 5.72cm (T)

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NETWORKED TRAIL TRAFFIC SERVICE - 

Do you have a trail that comes into your area from somewhere else? Is it managed by someone other than you? Ever want to know how much trail traffic was passing through, staying. or going away from your place - on your trail? Trails network and they cross jurisdictions. How much maintenance are you doing for traffic that comes from someone else's trail? We can answer that! Watch this space for our Trillium Trail (C) Decal. It is designed specifically for trail networks

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OTHER FACILITIES?

Do you have a trail that comes into park, runs around the arena or pool and you'd like to know more about cross flow and traffic integration? Ontario Trails can offer this same method to integrate additional feedback from your other recreation facilities as well - producing for you a comprehensive report on traffic, quality of experience at your arena, pool or tourism destination - giving you a sense of aggregate operation and our 4 F's - "fit, flow, funding and function."

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Call Patrick at 877-668-7245
execdir@ontariotrails.ca
*Shipping and handling extra
** Colour print extra

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Trailhead Ontario _________________________________________________________________________________

Trailhead Ontario Website Trailhead Ontario Registration - Early Bird Ends April 1, 2013

Our Plan for 2013 – "From Recreation to Tourism" There are a lot of new trails and trail tourism partnerships in RTO8. The Ontario Trails “Trailhead Ontario 2013″ Committee is  is pleased to announce the Holiday Inn Waterfront Peterborough as the location of our conferencing. Site locations for our trail education program are being determined now.  

 NATURAL/ HISTORIC SITES When you’re entering the region from any direction the noticeable feature that differentiates Peterborough from other Cities or Counties in Ontario is the distinct rolling hills.  These hills, while beautiful when full with fall foliage, have a unique history behind them.  When the last ice age was receding, it left behind large pockets of sediment, which it picked up while proceeding to grow and freeze everything in its path.  These pockets of sediment are what create the rolling hill effect you see now.  The leftover hills are called Drumlins and Peterborough is home to one of the largest Drumlin fields in Canada.  The reason is unknown, however when traveling along the trails or the roads, makes sure you keep an eye out for the next hill and think about how it really was created. Become a Trailhead Ontario Presenter - tell us about yourself!

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Our mobile app voted one of 12 Must Have for Living in Rural Ontario by Ruralist.ca

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Ontario Trail Projects - this page details our work in 32 areas of Ontario.

Ontario Trails Council liaise with the province, and through membership input we conduct a variety of surveys and create reports that guide decision makers at all levels - these include:

• Trail Priorities
• Accessibility
• Land Use Planning
• Ontario Cycling Route Commentary
• Use of Maintenance Vehicles on Trails
• Community Development
• Event Planning for Trail Groups
• Safe Trails Manual
• Regional Tourism Trail Inventory RTO12

And more. We can get you to a significant trails audience.

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Ontario Trail Council Membership

Membership renewals for 2013 started going out December 1st, 2012. Thanks to the 77+ organizations that have renewed so far!

On behalf of OTC we thank you for your support. If there is a group you know that is not a member contact us and we'll send them a note on membership benefits.  

THANKS! MERCI! 

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The Ontario Trails Council Appreciates the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation

 

Ontario Trails - Hike, Bike, Canoe or Ride an Ontario Trail

Earthroots Engo posted in Changing of the Seasons Gathering in Temagami

Earthroots Engo 3:30pm Jul 26

Tree Top Adventure Challenge

Hiking Buddies!

Added by Heather, Hiking Buddy Organizer

Saturday, August 25, 2012
10:00 AM

Treetop Eco-Adventure Park
53 Snow Ridge Court
Oshawa, ON

Price: CAD40.00 per person
Pay online

Government responds to War of 1812 omission
CBC.ca
The Department of Canadian Heritage has responded to CBC's query about why First Nations representatives were left out of the War of 1812 re-enactment during the Tall Ships Festival in Halifax last week. Parks Canada wasn't able to respond before our ...
See all stories on this topic »

Whitby Lake Shore Trail

Hiking Buddies!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012
7:00 PM

Needs a location
Coming soon!

Hike Ontario

Hiking guide to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario | Matador ...
ON ANY GIVEN DAY, in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, you can identify more than 100 species of birds. “Hear that?” Parks Canada's Greg Stroud asks me.
matadornetwork.com/.../hiking-guide-to-sleeping-giant-provin...

Claremont Conservation

Hiking Buddies!

Saturday, July 28, 2012
10:00 AM

Needs a location
Coming soon!

Area bicyclists enjoy great adventure along waterfront trail
EMC St. LawrenceThe inaugural Great Waterfront Trail Adventure took place five years ago, and it was intended to both celebrate and raise awareness of the elaborate system of cycling trails throughout Southern and Eastern Ontario. The 8-day Trail Adventure is ...See all stories on this topic »

Glen Murray posted in SPONSOR ME: I’m Cycling from Toronto to Montreal, 2 Weeks to Departure for the Friends For Life Bike Rally

Glen Murray 4:07pm Jul 26 Our journey to Montreal will start on Sunday morning. I look forward to the bike ride with my friends for a greater cause

Bike lanes: Separated lanes for Sherbourne St. go ahead
Toronto Star
It could cost $250000 to put Jarvis back the way it was, with a reversible fifth lane for commuters, said Jared Kolb, of advocacy group Cycle Toronto. “It would be a colossal waste of money,” Kolb said. “The street's working very well. It's a good example of ...See all stories on this topic »

Cyclist back in Hamilton after month-long water trek
Hamilton Spectator
Paul Baines wants you to meet Lake Ontario. He's lived right by it — has jogged by it, walked along it, swum in it — for years. But it took a month-long cycling trip around its shores for him to realize he was a stranger to the water. “We know more ...
See all stories on this topic »

Media Advisory - Photo Opportunity - Pedal Power: Hundreds of Cyclists to Bike ...
Canada NewsWire (press release)
TORONTO, July 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Close to 400 bicycle riders and crew will begin a 600 kilometre journey from Toronto to Montreal in the 14th Annual Friends For Life Bike Rally, presented by Scotiabank, on Sunday, July 29, 2012. Departing at 9 a.m. from ...See all stories on this topic »

More On The Canoe In Native Art by Mike

Last week I posted some images of the canoe in Norval Morrisseau's art. This got me to thinking about other depictions of the canoe in Native art. So I have included work from various artists....a piece by Leland Bell....one by Carl Beam....another by Roy Thomas....a couple by Pitcheigwaneh....and several by Michael Robinson:

Click to view slideshow.